Always there
by neleo
Summary: Olivia Benson is always there... for her partner and his kids. But what happens when Elliots wife starts to suspect, th at her husband and the woman she hates,Olivia, are more than just partners? And what do the kids say?E/O Discliamer: Don't own anything
1. Chapter 1

„An old man turned ninety-eight. He won the lottery and died the next day…" Olivia sang silently while drinking a sip of her coffee. She sighed _this is exactly how a Saturday should start_. Relaxing in the tub and drinking coffee. Last night was nice, too. The whole gang went out for dinner and later grabbed a few drinks. Olivia didn't remember a night where she had that much fun. Munch got a little too drunk and was making the stupidest things the whole night long even after they moved their little party from the bar into Olivia's apartment. They ended up playing truth or dare. A game that unearthed some pretty good kept secrets like the facts that Elliot and Kathy hadn't had sex in more than a year. Or that Fin and Melinda are having an affair since she got divorced from her husband a few weeks ago, or the fact that Munch had a crush on Alex. Yes it had been fun. Of course Cragen didn't drink a sip but simply watching his four best detectives go wild had him feeling good himself. Elliot had stayed the longest, as always, left at 4 this morning only 7 hours ago after cleaning up her apartment and taking the empty bottles with him. Yes that was Elliot always being a gentleman. Olivia had to admit that his involuntarily-made 'sex-confession' had shocked her. Elliot was the best looking man under the sun. That was a simple fact no one could, especially not a woman who spends basically 24/7 with him, deny. And well Kathy wasn't thaaat bad looking herself. Why didn't they have sex? Olivia decided that she should just mind her own business. _God dammit Olivia what the hell are you thinking… _She drank another sip of her coffee and listened to Meat Loaf's I'd do anything for love. The sudden _ring ring_ of her cell phone made her choke on her coffee.

"Crap" Olivia cursed while she grabbed for the device. Not bothering to look who the caller was, she opened it.

"Be…nson" Liv choked in her phone.

"Hi Liv this is Lizzie"

"Hi sweetie how are you?"

"I'm fine what about you? What are you doin' on a Saturday morning?" Lizzie asked, hoping that Olivia didn't have big plans for her weekend. She looked around the kitchen table and saw that her three older siblings, Dickie, Katie and Maureen, looked just as hopeful as she felt.

"I'm just soaking in the tub. What about…" Olivia was interrupted by a gasp and a "WOW" from Dickie.

Then a slap and a "Shut your friggin' mouth u idiot. Now she ain't gonna help us move."

Lizzie cleared her throat "Ehm sorry Liv that was Dickie. We're all sittin' in the kitchen and I turned the phone on speaker. Sorry 'bout that." Another slap and an _ouch_ from Dickie.

Olivia smiled at the kids. She knew Dickie had a crush on her for years. "You okay Dickie? They didn't slap you too hard, right?"

At the Stabler's Dickie looked at his sisters who glared at him for not controlling his 'emotions' for Olivia.

"Hi Liv. Ehm no they didn't. I'm not exactly fine, though" Kathleen rolled her eyes

"God Dickie you're unbelievable. Liv you should probably get outta the tub. Dickie looks a little… in thought"

"Okay gimme a minute" Olivia laughed but got out of the tub. "Crap" she cursed again.

"What? Liv you okay" Maureen asked. Her voice full of concern.

In this moment Elliot walked into the kitchen wearing boxers and a shirt. "Mornin' guys. What's goin' on here?" He asked his kids. Not knowing that they were on the phone with his partner.

"We called Liv and something happened." Lizzie answered just as concerned as her sister.

"Wait what? Hey Liv you okay? Still drunk from yesterday or what?" Elliot asked with a smirk.

"I wasn't the one singing _Total Eclipse of the Heart_ from the top of my lungs into the night on my way to my apartment. I'm fine my towel just fell into the tub and I was triyin' to get to the closet to get a new one and I sorta slipped but everything's fine now but I still don't have a towel" she muttered the last part and laughed at another gasp from Dickie. And another slap from one of his sisters.

Kathleen slapped her brother's head. Why _were boys like this?_ Yes yes Liv was the most gorgeous woman but Olivia almost fell. She could have hit her head or something and Dickie just thought about how Olivia now stood naked in her bathroom.

"Argh Dickie you're such a guy." "Hey why just me Dad is just the same" Four heads turned and stared at their dad.

"Hey what about me?" Elliot stood there leaning against the kitchen counter a coffee mug in one hand a can in the other looking like a deer caught in headlights.

"You thought about Olivia standing naked in her bathroom" Dickie told him with a serious look on his face.

Elliot blushed "Ehm…No I didn't", followed by scoffs from his kids.

Olivia cleared her throat and smirked "Guys I'm still here. I'm alive and I now am securely wrapped in a towel. What was the actual reason you called me this morning?"

Realization hit the kids "Right right you know Liv. We kids are changing rooms and we want to go to the store today with mom and dad to buy new stuff for our rooms and paint. And yeah... well" Kathleen started to stutter.

So Lizzie took over "We want to ask if you would come with us and help us chose the paint and the furniture. You know dad's taste and moms isn't that much better. We thought you'd be a big help and dad told us that you wanted to paint your bedroom so it'd help you, too. Please Livvie"

Olivia smiled at the girls begging "I'd love to go to the store with you today kids."

"But we didn't ask you THE question yet." Dickie said

"Well then shoot"

"Mom is gonna take Eli to a friend on Rhode Island today so we'd also need your help with the actual painting. Of course we'd help you the painting of your bedroom, too" Dickie told her this and crossed his fingers.

"Sure"

"What?" Four voices shouted

Elliot interfered as he saw the four shocked faces "Not only that Olivia needs an excuse to cancel the date with Langan, who is begging for a date for years. But, Kids that woman would do everything for you" Elliot stated matter-of-factly while reading _the Ledger._

"Really Olivia? You would spend today and tomorrow with us. Painting and rearranging our rooms?" Kathleen asked, still in shock.

"Yes of course. Like your father already put it so nicely I don't want to go out with that guy and sure I want to spend my week end with you guys. You sound like you didn't expect me to agree." Olivia said.

Lizzie looked at her siblings. Deciding what to say next. "Thank you Olivia that is so nice of you and we appreciate it a lot we just thought that. Well dad was right. He said that we shouldn't worry and just ask you right away 'cause you love us and you'd do a lot for us" She said the last part quiet and a little shy.

Olivia was touched by the child's words and the emotions coming with it. "Ah hush Lizzie. I'd really love to do the painting and other stuff with you. And well sometimes you should listen to your dad. He's right I love you guys a lot but I wouldn't do a lot for you" a moment of silence and a sharp intake of breath from one of the kids "I'd do anything for you" she finished.

"We love you too" the Stabler kid's said in unison. Lizzie had tears in her eyes and whispered another _thank you_… _for everything._

They agreed on meeting in two hours in front of the store. After saying the final "Good-byes " and "Thank-yous" Olivia hang up and sat on her couch thinking about how important those kids were to her.


	2. Chapter 2

At the Stabler's

The kids were literally dancing around the house. Eliot couldn't believe how happy they were about the simple fact that Olivia would go shopping with them let alone help them do the actual painting. He hadn't seen them this happy since… well since Olivia visited them the last time. It was unbelievable what that woman did to his kids!

Elliot just stood in the kitchen drinking coffee and watching his children, his almost adult children, doing a happy dance. Then suddenly Kathy stood among them and asked "Hey what's going on down here? What are you guys so happy about?"She looked at them with an insecure smile.

The kids stopped dead in their tracks and shared nervous glances.

Maureen, who, when being home from college, has been arguing a lot with Kathy lately, cleared her throat and said, with a knowing smile that Kathy would be pissed "Olivia will help us with the rearranging of our rooms. She'll meet us at the store later. And she'll help us paint and everything today… and tomorrow." She smirked at the end of her explanation.

Kathy just stood there, dumb folded. She looked each child in the eye, their joy still obvious. "What? Are you serious? What has Olivia to do with all of this?"

Lizzy, who also wasn't too fond of her mother lately (wich was more than understandable: Elliot has spent more nights than he'd like to count in Lizzy's room, trying to comfort her when Kathy has yet again missed one of her plays of games, instead of Olivia, who was present at each and every one of them.) said "Yeah we thought it'd be nice to have her with us. We love her to death and she'd be a huge help."

"And Liv wants to paint her bedroom as well so it'd be quiet helpful for her too. And we could sorta pay her back when we help her pain next weekend" Dickie added.

Kathy's shock was more than obvious "Why didn't you ask me before you invited _her_?" she asked through gritted teeth

"Well _mom_, since it's our rooms we're redoing we thought we could decide this on our own" Kathleen said rudely "What the hell is your problem? Why are you making such a big deal out of it?"

"What my problem is? I thought this was gonna be a family thing" Kathy almost yelled.

Maureen just scoffed and turned around and started setting the table for their breakfast.

"Yeah well _mom_ in case you haven't noticed: Liv _is_ part of the family. She has been for twelve years" Dickie countered and took plates out of the cabinet.

"Are you okay with this?" Kathy nearly screamed at Elliot. She then just rolled her eyes and mumbled "Of course you're okay with this"

Elliot's eyes widened "Whoa Kathy what is that supposed to mean? And yes I am okay with this! Olivia is their god mother, their friend! Why shouldn't she join us in this?" Elliot said, surprised by his wife's sudden outburst.

Now it was Kathy, who scoffed "Yeah right Elliot. Like that's the only reason."

"God mother calm down." Kathleen said to stop her mother's ridiculous speech. "We love Olivia! She was/ is always here for us. She helps us with everything if it's homework or dressing up for a date. Olivia was the one who comforted Maur and Lizzy when their first boyfriends broke up with them. She is at every single game of Dickie's team and we all know what she did for me! And on top of that she saved Dad's life countless times, not only because it their job to have each other's back but because they are best friends. And you _mom_ should remember what happened on Eli's birthday. So don't accuse Dad or Livia of anything! They are the most generous people I know, they have huge hearts and they share they're love with us everyday" she finished her speech with an accusing glance in Kathy's direction.

"Yeah she is, they are fucking saints" Kathy said sarcastically, clearly not impressed by her daughter's speech "I'll go upstairs and change and get Eli ready" she grabbed a toast and disappeared up the stairs.

In the kitchen all eyes were on Kathleen. She slowly turned around and faced her siblings and her father, who by now had finished setting the table and now sat around it.

"Wow honey that was awesome. I wish we had your speech on tape" Maureen said with tears in her eyes.

"Uh uh" Dickie said and threw his cell phone threw the air and caught it again. "I'm so gonna show this to Liv. She'll be impressed. This was really big of you sis"

"Why did you record this?" Kathleen asked, still somewhat in shock about her own outburst

"I honestly have no idea" Dickie answered with a huge grin on his face.

"Wow" was all Lizzy managed to say. She looked down and started eating her cereals so that no one could see the tears in her eyes. Kathleen had said what was on her mind. She, Lizzy was so disappointed by her mother.

"You aren't mad daddy" Kathleen asked when she saw the grin on her father's face.

"God no" he said, stood up and walked toward his daughter. "I'm proud of you. I know probably shouldn't be but you said what's on your mind. That was pretty damn brave! Of course it was your mother who was the one you were being open with but we all know that she wasn't the mother of the year lately. I don't wanna talk bad about her but it's true. And I am truly sorry for the stuff she put you through!" he looked at each child and smiled. Elliot pulled Kathleen into a hug to calm her nerves "let's eat now. We don't wanna let Liv wait now do we?"

Olivia was already on her way to the store, since it would take her a hell of a lot longer to get there than El and the kids. And Kathy. On her way, Olivia stopped at a Starbuck's to get beverages for everyone. Cocoa for the twins, Vanilla Latte for Mo and Kathleen, their special coffee for herself and Elliot and since Liv didn't know what she liked, just plain tea for Kathy.

Olivia was sooo happy that the kids wanted her to be with them. And she already knew that it would become an exciting weekend. The time Olivia spent with Elliot and the kids was always amazing and she enjoyed every second of that. And Olivia knew that the kids did too.

Maureen called at least once a week and the two women always spent hours on the phone. Sometimes they were just chatting about random things and on other days Maureen told Olivia about the problems the other's had at home with their mother's moods. At first Olivia felt uncomfortable with all of this. But after Maureen reassured her that it was okay since Olivia was everyone's friend and the only one who seemed to be able to understand them, Olivia learned how to separate the things she learned from the phone calls and her job with Elliot.

A few months ago Maureen called at two in the morning. It was that she's been crying. Olivia listened patiently to Maureen's stories about how Kathy is letting the kids down all of the time, how she always picks fights with Elliot and how she takes all her anger out on him. When Olivia's alarm went off the women realized that they'd been talking the whole night. Maureen apologized for stealing Olivia's well deserved sleep but Olivia just laughed and told her that it was perfectly okay and that she and the others could call her at any time.

And they did. Even Dickie called from time to time to let Olivia know that things weren't completely out of control at home.

Now, looking for the perfect place to park, Olivia sent a prayer heavenward that this weekend would be as joyful as she imagined it to be.


End file.
